Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a base and a brushroll positioned within the base. The base has a suction opening and is configured to move along a surface to be cleaned. The brushroll is rotatable relative to the base about an axis, and the brushroll includes a first end, a second end, an inflection point located between the ends, and a material that protrudes radially away from the brushroll. The material extends between the first end and the second end and wraps around the brushroll with a pitch. The material wraps in a first direction between the first end and the inflection point and wraps in a second direction between the inflection point and the second end.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a base having a suction opening, the base being configured to move along a surface to be cleaned; and 
 a brushroll positioned within the base, the brushroll being rotatable relative to the base about an axis, and
 the brushroll including:
 a first end; 
 a second end; 
 an inflection point located along the axis between the first end and the second end; and 
 a first material protruding radially away from the brushroll and having a first width,
 the first material extending between the first end and the second end, 
 the first material wrapping around the brushroll with a pitch relative to the axis, and 
 the first material wrapping in a first direction between the first end and the inflection point and wrapping in a second direction between the inflection point and the second end, 
 wherein the pitch of the first material wrapping in the first direction is opposite to the pitch of the first material wrapping the second direction, 
 wherein the first material is a plush cloth, and 
 
 a second material protruding radially away from the brushroll, the second material including a first plurality of bristles and a second plurality of bristles located on opposing sides of the first material, respectively, such that the first material fills a space between the first and second plurality of bristles. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the inflection point is about equidistant between the first end and the second end. 
     
     
       3. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the first material is received in a first recess, the first material has a first length configured for collecting a first type of debris from the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
       4. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein the second material has a second width less than the first width, the second material received in a second recess and a third recess such that the first recess is between the second recess and third recess. 
     
     
       5. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the second material has a second length greater than the first length configured for collecting a second type of debris from the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
       6. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the first recess has a “v” shaped path wrapped around the brushroll such that the “v” shaped path extends between the first and second end and the inflection point corresponds to a tip of the letter “v” where the path changes directions. 
     
     
       7. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein the second recess and third recess follow the “v” shaped path. 
     
     
       8. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 7 , wherein the pitch of the first recess relative to the axis remains constant as the first recess wraps clockwise around the brushroll between the first end and the inflection point, and at the inflection point the pitch of the first recess relative to the axis changes direction and remains constant as the first recess wraps counter-clockwise around the brushroll between the inflection point and the second end. 
     
     
       9. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein the brushroll further comprises a wall extending radially away from the brushroll, the wall having the “v” shaped path and adjacent to the first recess such that an entire area of an outer diameter of the brushroll is covered by the wall and the first and second material. 
     
     
       10. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a base having a suction opening, the base being configured to move along a surface to be cleaned; and 
 a brushroll within the base rotatable relative to the base about an axis, the brushroll including:
 a body; 
 a first end; 
 a second end; 
 an inflection point disposed along the axis between the first end and the second end; 
 a wall extending radially away from the body,
 the wall following a sloped path around the brushroll between the first end and the second end, and 
 the wall wrapping around the brushroll about the axis, wherein a direction of the sloped path around the brushroll reverses at the inflection point; and 
 
 grooves along the wall extending axially along a length of the brushroll between the first end and the second end, each of the grooves having a length,
 wherein the grooves are spaced around a circumference of the brushroll, and 
 wherein the length of at least some of the grooves decreases as the sloped path approaches the inflection point. 
 
 
 
     
     
       11. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the inflection point is about equidistant between the first end and the second end. 
     
     
       12. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the brushroll supports a first cleaning material configured to collect a first type of debris from the surface to be cleaned and a second cleaning material configured to collect a second type of debris from the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
       13. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the first cleaning material is received in a wide first recess following the sloped path of the wall, and wherein the second cleaning material is received in a narrow second and third recess following the sloped path of the wall such that the wide first recess is between the narrow second and third recess. 
     
     
       14. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the sloped path is a “v” shaped path wrapped around the brushroll such that the “v” shaped path extends between the first and second end and the inflection point corresponds to a tip of the letter “v” where the path changes directions. 
     
     
       15. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein the sloped path of the wall has a pitch angle relative to the axis, the pitch angle remains constant as the wall wraps clockwise around the brushroll between the first end and the inflection point, at the inflection point the pitch angle changes by about 90 degrees relative to the axis, and as the wall wraps counter-clockwise around the brushroll between the inflection point and the second end the pitch angle remains constant. 
     
     
       16. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein the sloped path of the wall between the first end and the inflection point mirrored across the inflection point nearly equals the sloped path of the wall between the inflection point and the second end. 
     
     
       17. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the grooves extend inwardly on the wall toward the center of the brushroll and the grooves are spaced equally around an entire circumference the brushroll. 
     
     
       18. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second cleaning material follow the “v” shaped path and are adjacent to the wall such that an entire area of an outer diameter of the brushroll is covered by the wall and the first and second cleaning material. 
     
     
       19. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a base having a suction opening,
 the base being configured to move along a surface to be cleaned; 
 
 a brushroll removable from and insertable into the base and rotatable about an axis, the brushroll including:
 a body; 
 a first end; 
 a second end; 
 the base having an aperture through which the brushroll is removed,
 the aperture including teeth spaced around a circumference of the aperture, 
 the teeth protruding parallel with the axis and away from the aperture towards the brushroll and for aligning with the body, and 
 the teeth being configured to collect debris from the brushroll as the brushroll is being removed from the base through the aperture. 
 
 
 
     
     
       20. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 19 , wherein the brushroll further includes grooves extending in parallel with the axis along the body between the first end and the second end, and wherein the grooves are spaced around a circumference of the brushroll and configured to align with the teeth. 
     
     
       21. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein the brushroll is removable through the aperture in a direction along the axis.